Spoiling Her
by Maki Hatayama
Summary: Sesshoumaru visits Rin in InuYasha's village after a month-long absence, bearing gifts for her. Jaken confronts Sesshoumaru about it, asking why he does so. Nothing is said at first. But, then, Rin asks about it. You won't believe his answer...


**Okay... I know I said there wouldn't be a sequel to Third Person... Honestly, I just wasn't thinking of any way to follow it up, and thought it was perfect... It might still be. I have almost nothing planned in this story. Anyway, Rin is roughly 15 in this one. Sesshoumaru is still way over 200. Here's the story...**

A warm sigh floated up in a mist, and faded away into the frozen air, as two slender arms stretched up toward the sky.

Rin yawned deeply, having just gotten up to face the day.

It was winter in this village. She was visiting it to help rid them of a snow-fox that'd been sneaking into the food stores, and eating away at their emergency provisions.

After Naraku was destroyed, Rin quite willingly decided to stay with Kaede, and Kagome, and train to become a miko.

Rin'd completed her training, and was now traveling around to gain experience.

The smallest of breezes blew through one of her sleeves, through her kosode, and out the other sleeve.

With a violent shiver, and a slight groan of discomfort, Rin let her arms down to wrap around herself, rubbing her upper arms with her hands.

_Complaining does no good._ She thought. _Best subdue this one quickly, and get out of here... if it's even real..._

All around her, no matter how hard she tried, Rin felt no Jaki.

She suggested that the fox might be normal, but, the villagers swore it had kitsune no hi.

Rin sighed, releasing another puff of warm mist into the winter air.

"Iku yo, Ah-Un." Rin said, grabbing the reigns of her loyal dragon.

Sesshoumaru had left her with Ah-Un for protection.

Rin was more than happy to keep him, since he'd been her company many times before, when Sesshoumaru'd gone off somewhere without her.

Ah-Un was rather happy to be with the human girl who'd cared for him so warmly, as well.

Gently, Rin guided Ah-Un to the store house, and heard rustling inside.

Still, Rin felt no Jaki. Was this fox that powerful? To hide its powers like that? It couldn't be.

Rin put a finger to her lips, letting Ah-Un know he needed to be quiet, and very slowly made her way into the store house.

To her surprise, she saw a fox, looking right at her, with a big piece of meat in its mouth.

There was some kind of a collar around its neck.

Before she could figure out what the purpose of the collar was, a wave of dark energy flew at her, and knocked her back.

Rin cried out in shock, as she hit the ground, and slid back on the ice and snow.

As she came to a stop, Rin noticed how little the attack had done to her.

A youkai could've seriously injured her with an attack of that force.

The only explanation for how little damage this attack had done was if it was...

"Corrupted spiritual magic." Rin said. "The fox is a prisoner."

Rin sat up, and saw a man in Houshi attire moving toward her.

"I can't let you live, now, Miko-sama." He said. "If that information gets out, I will be out of work. I hope you've lived a good life. I shall pray for your safe passage to the next world..."

The Houshi held up a string of bells.

Rin turned away, shutting her eyes.

She heard the bells ring... followed by a scream of pain, and a crackling noise.

Something hot fell on Rin's feet, and she could ignore it no longer.

Rin opened her eyes, and cried out in horror.

The Houshi's arm was burned off, and sitting on top of her feet.

Rin stammered to her feet, and fell against Ah-Un, who'd been the one to burn off the Houshi's arm.

"Arigatou, Ah-Un!" Rin gasped, still in a bit of shock, as she looked at the Houshi.

He was crumpled on the ground, grasping at the shoulder where his weapon arm was once connected.

Rin reached into her sleeve, and pulled out her prayer beads.

"Bind him!" Rin said.

She released the beads, and they flew at the Houshi.

As the wrapped around him, they grew larger, squeezing him in place.

He roared in pain, glaring up at the sky, probably praying to Kami for the pain to end.

Rin paid him little mind, as she went to free the fox.

Villagers were already making their way over to see what was going on, while Rin mumbled some unintelligible words against the collar the fox was wearing.

To say the villagers were shocked to see she'd tied up a Houshi, and was trying to free a Kitsune would be an understatement.

Easily, Rin broke the seal in the collar, and pulled it off of the fox.

"Run away, now." Rin said. "You're free."

The fox nodded, and took off into the trees.

Rin stood up, and turned to see the villagers.

They were all looking at her in angry, ungrateful ways.

"D-Doushita no?" Rin asked, moving back towards Ah-Un.

The village headman took a hesitant step forward.

"Alright." He said. "You've gotten rid of the fox. Now, off with you, Miko! Leave our village!"

Rin lowered her head, making her way over to Ah-Un, and mounting him.

"We're leaving, now." Rin said, patting Ah-Un's neck.

"Just go!" The village headman spat.

Ah-Un took to the air before Rin received any real verbal abuse.

Rin was far from surprised by their reaction to her method of 'exorcism'.

Not many people accepted a human willing to let youkai live, let alone help them escape.

The same went for a youkai with humans.

It was nearly impossible to find someone who accepted such people.

Rin sighed, leaning down closer to Ah-Un.

"I wonder if he thinks about that..." Rin wondered aloud. "Does he think I'll hate him? Does he think I can't handle being shunned by everyone who doesn't accept us? Does he wonder if I think the same things about him?"

Ah-Un let out a roar like he always did when they approached home.

Slowly, Rin sat up, and looked ahead through the falling snow they were flying into.

She could see InuYasha heading back toward the house where he and Kagome lived together.

He looked up, having heard Ah-Un coming, and waved up to Rin.

Rin waved back, tugging on Ah-Un's reigns, letting him know to stop.

"Tadaima! InuYasha-sama!" Rin called out.

"Kaeri." InuYasha said, simply. "Hey, ya got a visitor. He went ahead to yer place."

"Oh." Rin said. "Another one, already? Youkai are so active during the winter, aren't they?"

"I never said he was here on business." InuYasha said.

Rin gave InuYasha a funny look, and then cast her eyes up toward her house.

She didn't see anyone by her house.

What was InuYasha talking about?

"Thank you, InuYasha-sama." Rin said. "I'll be heading home, now."

"Take care, squirt." InuYasha said.

Rin lightly shook the reigns, and Ah-Un started toward her house once more.

She continued to stare ahead at her house, as a figure became visible.

Rather quickly, she realized who this figure was, and, as brightly as she smiled, the sun might as well have been a shadow in the sky.

Rin waved both hands in the air, laughing in pure joy.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" She cried.

The daiyoukai watched as she and Ah-Un approached the house.

Rin hopped off of Ah-Un before he was even on the ground, and ran right up to Sesshoumaru.

"It's been so long, my lord! How are you?" Rin said.

He looked down at her, obviously not inclined to answer.

Of course, he knew he didn't have to. Rin could see the smile in his eyes, and knew that, no matter what he'd been through in his month-long absence, he was happy now.

Rin let out a sigh, simply overjoyed that he'd come back to her.

He gave her a slight nod, and reached into his haori, pulling out a cloth-wrapped package, and handing it to her.

Rin gave a gentle smile as she received the package.

"Arigatou, Sesshoumaru-sama." Rin said, her eyes glittering with the joy of getting to see him.

As she stared happily up at her lord, Rin began to feel an odd nagging feeling.

This moment was flowing all too smoothly. Something was missing. It was bothersome, green, older than dust, and not being missed, but, Rin could not be so cold as to forget it...

Rin cast her eyes around, knowing she'd probably regret the following words: "Where is Jaken-sama?"

_Achoo!_

Rin looked down at a pile of snow beside Sesshoumaru's feet, as it began to move.

The snow shifted, and fell until a blue Jaken was revealed.

He looked up at Rin and Sesshoumaru, with no particular expression on his face.

His beak began twitching, but, he couldn't open it to speak. The imp was good and frozen.

Rin crouched down in front of him, and poked the icicle at the end of his beak.

"Doushita no, Jaken-sama? Can't you speak?" Rin asked.

The icicle fell from his beak, and the imp began to quiver with unseen irritation.

You could hear the sound of ice breaking as he finally forced his beak open for speech.

"Of course I can speak, you fool!" He squawked. "I simply have nothing to say to a mere human, is all!"

Rin leaned away from him, a bit surprised by his sudden outburst.

"Sou ka?" Rin asked. "Nothing at all?"

"Nothing at all!" Jaken said.

"Alright." Rin replied.

She stood up once more, and looked at Sesshoumaru.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, are you in any hurry to leave?" Rin asked.

Question rose up in his eyes. "What of it?" Sesshoumaru asked.

Rin took a deep breath, steadying herself. He probably had no idea what her plan was, but, she wondered if she was being obvious anyway.

"Well, I've recently learned how to cook for myself, and it's kind of cold out..." Rin said. "Would you care to stay the night?"

Sesshoumaru looked down at her, with a curious look in his eye.

This was not the first time Rin had asked him to stay a while.

He'd always declined before, not sure what to do with someone asking him to stay, when he'd mostly been asked to leave before.

Sesshoumaru looked her up and down.

Rin was not one to manipulate anyone. Particularly not him.

So, why did she want him to stay?

"If you're too busy, I understand." Rin said, feeling a 'no' coming on. "Maybe another time..."

Sesshoumaru noticed the disappointment in her eyes.

She'd gotten this same look every other time he'd declined her as well.

Was it truly this important to her?

"You assume I've refused already?" Sesshoumaru asked.

Rin's eyes widened, as her lord went to the doorway, and pulled the flimsy door aside, looking back at her.

All of a sudden, Rin was very deeply embarrassed with herself, and she quickly moved to take over holding the door.

Sesshoumaru scoffed slightly, and glided into the house effortlessly.

Rin sighed, stepping inside with Ah-Un, both forgetting the frozen Jaken outside.

Before anything else happened, Rin set up a pile of sticks on the fire place, and had Ah-Un light them.

Once that was done, Rin got to work on preparing a meal for her guest, and herself.

Unbeknownst to Rin at the time, Sesshoumaru was watching attentively, as she chopped vegetables, and meats, and crushed herbs to mix into them.

She'd grown so skillful with that knife in what seemed to be a blink, to the daiyoukai.

Rin threw all her ingredients into a pot of water, and hung it over a fire.

_No, it's not her with the knife..._ Sesshoumaru thought. _It's her. She's all that's really grown._

Rin put a top over the pot, and wiped her hands clean on a wash cloth.

Her eyes landed on the package her lord had brought to her, and she smiled, turning to him.

"Shall I open that, now?" Rin asked.

Sesshoumaru lowered his head, slightly, closing his eyes.

"Do what you will." He said.

Rin turned to the package again, and started un-wrapping it.

The cloth around the package was a thick, soft haori. Perfect for this weather.

Rin put the haori on before bringing her attention to the box it'd housed.

The box itself was simple, and dull. Upon lifting the lid, she saw that it was filled with a bunch of small bottles.

Each one was labeled as a tonic, or remedy of some sort.

"Oh, Sesshoumaru-sama! Arigatou!" Rin said. "These will be so helpful to everyone..."

She replaced the bottles into the box, and put the top back on.

A cold wind blew into the house.

Rin shivered, and all looked to the door.

The frozen Jaken had finally made his way into the house, and fell over, releasing the door.

"M-M-M-M'lord..." Jaken shivered out. "W-W-W-Wasn't there s-s-s-something m-m-more imp-p-p-portant aw-w-w-waiting you h-h-here?"

Rin looked over at Sesshoumaru, now worried that she was keeping him from something.

"What nonsense are you babbling, Jaken?" Sesshoumaru asked, glaring at the imp.

Jaken shivered violently at his master's deadly gaze, and found himself stuttering not from the cold, but out of fear.

"W-Well... Y-You were rather quick t-to start on your w-w-way here, so... I assumed, m'lord, th-that you had b-b-business to attend to... h-h-here." Jaken said. "I thought, perhaps... this was just a detour?"

Rin looked back and forth between them, waiting for an answer to come out.

Sesshoumaru brought his gaze to the fire, and kept silent.

So, either the answer was right at the tip of Jaken's beak, or... he didn't have an answer he wanted to share.

Jaken began to think back on some things from their travels.

Sesshoumaru would usually leave some clue as to where they were going, and who they would seek out there.

Of course Jaken'd seen him pick up the box of tonics and remedies, and wrap them in a particularly well-made haori. Of course Jaken'd recognized the path they were taking.

But, surely, his lord wasn't just coming to dawdle with this human? After all, what could she possibly have done to deserve his time? Especially since she was no longer traveling with them.

"Sesshoumaru-sama... pardon me if I pry... but, why do you spoil Rin so?" Jaken asked, careful of his tone, and wording. "She has done nothing to deserve such gifts. Yet, you willingly waste your precious time coming to visit, and bestow gifts upon this girl, as though she's saved your life at some point."

Rin looked over at Sesshoumaru.

He was still staring at the fire, but, it was quite plain that he was annoyed by Jaken's indirect accusation.

Had he put something off to stay here, after all? Had she guilted him into staying?

Every new thought caused Rin's chest to ache.

Slowly she brought her legs out from under her, and crossed them, ready to bring her knees to her face, but, not moving to do so just yet.

"You believe I have wasted my time, Jaken?" Sesshoumaru asked.

Jaken stiffened. "Ah... ah... W-w-wasted? M'lord, I would never!" Jaken said. "It's just, uh... I don't understand. Why are you spoiling her?"

Rin looked down at her feet.

She heard Jaken cry out in pain, and fall to the floor. Sesshoumaru'd punished him... what for, Rin couldn't be sure.

Perhaps he was just hitting Jaken for being Jaken, again.

Or, perhaps he was taking out the frustration of putting off his important duties on Jaken.

Rin sighed, her hands gripping tightly at the hem of her new haori.

Her breathing was becoming irregular, and her face was getting warmer.

"Rin." came Sesshoumaru's voice.

Rin took a deep breath, and shook her head, as she looked up at Sesshoumaru, quickly putting up a smiling front.

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin said.

"The pot." He said.

Rin cast her gaze down slightly, and saw the pot boiling over.

"Kya!" Rin cried out. "Gomen nasai!"

She jumped up, and quickly began tending to the pot.

A few minor burns, and several appologies later, Rin managed to get the food's situation back under control, and serve it.

Despite its over-boiling, the food itself wasn't burned too badly.

Rin sighed, sitting down with her bowl.

She didn't feel like eating anything, after what Jaken'd pointed out, but, she couldn't allow herself to be bothered in front of her lord.

_After all, he's going out of his way to stay here with me._ Rin thought. _Getting upset now would be a bit spoiled of me._

"Itadakimasu." Rin said, quietly, lifting her bowl and chopsticks to her face.

Trying very hard not to make any noise, or look at Sesshoumaru, Rin began eating.

For a little while, the house was silent, but for the occasional snort Ah-Un would let out while eating.

Not half-way through the meal, though, Rin began to hear something.

Much to faint to identify.

Curious, Rin cast her eyes over her bowl to look around for the source of the sound.

Her heart began to beat a little faster, as she spotted it.

Sesshoumaru had his bowl and chopsticks to his face, and was slowly eating.

Even as she was his most trusted person, Rin had never seen Sesshoumaru eat before.

She'd tried to cook for him before, but, no foods seemed to interest him.

So, to say she was shocked to see him like this would be just short of an understatement.

Rin almost didn't notice that she'd stopped eating, until Sesshoumaru began lowering his bowl from his face.

Quickly, Rin began eating again, hoping she hadn't been caught.

Had he done this before? Probably. He wouldn't be doing it now if he hadn't been able to do it without being noticed before.

Or... was he trying to make her feel better about his staying here when he had somewhere else to be?

Rin sighed, lowering her bowl from her face.

She shouldn't be getting upset with him. After all, he wasn't doing anything wrong. It was Jaken who'd made her so upset.

And when he got here... Sesshoumaru was particularly content. She was certain of it.

He wasn't putting anything off for her. He'd had plenty of time on hand when he'd come to see her.

And he'd brought her a particularly nice gift, this time. Certainly, he'd had time to get it before he got here... So, what was there to be upset about?

She heaved another sigh, this one in slight relief.

Now, there was just one thing Jaken'd brought up that interested Rin in the slightest... why did Sesshoumaru-sama spoil her so?

There were a few times that she'd let him know that he didn't have to bring her anything. That she had plenty of herbs, house-hold items, kimonos, and other such things.

Still, he brought her more. And she had done nothing to earn such spoils.

"Ne... Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin said.

She looked up at him, and saw him staring into the fire.

"Why... do you spoil me?" Rin asked. "It's not as though I'm struggling. I have plenty. And I certainly haven't done anything for you lately. So... if I may ask?"

Sesshoumaru cast his eyes at her.

That solemn look he bore in them... she'd seen it before.

Slowly, Rin brought her knees up to her chest, and wrapped her arms around them, ready to listen if he spoke.

For a moment, the two of them just stared at each other in silence.

Sesshoumaru looked her over... the only person he'd ever really trusted... his Rin...

She was only curious. She didn't think this question to be very serious in the least, and he knew it.

Rin wasn't the type to be serious about such things... which is why Sesshoumaru trusted her so.

Even as she grew older... not much truly changed about her. She was still tender-hearted, and innocent. Most of all, she still got so happy to see him when he visited...

A slight smirk spread across his face, causing Rin's heart to skip a beat.

"Strange..." Sesshoumaru said. "Just a few short years that we've been acquainted... and my heart is the only one that's changed."

Rin's heart began beating faster. She didn't expect him to open up that much. How big was his answer about to be.

"However... with age, you've gained the knowledge and strength to live on your own, without assistance." Sesshoumaru said. "You can feed, clothe and protect yourself without my help. You don't need me..."

Rin's face began to warm up, as the look in his eyes became just a bit... sad.

"In other words... there is no particular reason for me to visit." Sesshoumaru said. "Do you understand, Rin?"

Rin was frozen where she sat.

_No reason to visit..._ Rin thought. _Then... I see... He needed a reason to visit... Because I don't really need him to take care of me..._

Rin swallowed hard, not expecting her lord to share so much.

She wanted to cry, because she was so touched... yet, she wanted to laugh, because she was so happy, and he was being silly...

_This is just like that time... when I was little... _Rin thought. _I wonder if he felt the same way I feel now?_

Rin took a deep breath, bringing herself back to earth, and she looked up at Sesshoumaru.

"I-It's late." Rin said. "We should be getting to sleep. I should, at least. Would you like a futon, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

He stared at her for a moment, slightly confused by her sudden change of subject.

Of course, not another moment passed before he scoffed, and turned back to the fire.

Rin sighed, and went to get the futon mats he'd brought her earlier in the fall.

She laid one out for him, being particularly careful to smooth out the wrinkles in it before laying one out for her.

Rin laid down, and closed her eyes, knowing Sesshoumaru would probably go to sleep a little later.

Try as she might to sleep, she couldn't.

She never expected her lord to feel so strongly for her, and express it so openly. All these gifts she got... they were all reasons for him to come visit her.

How could she have been so blind? How did she not see this? When she could see more emotion in him than anyone else alive?

As hours passed, she found herself waiting for Sesshoumaru to go to sleep.

At one point, Jaken got up, squawking rather loudly about being under-appreciated as a steward.

If Sesshoumaru had been asleep at all right then, Jaken quickly fixed that, and was punished thoroughly for it.

Sesshoumaru knocked him right out, and went back to sitting still in his spot.

After a little while, Rin forgot that she was waiting on him to go to sleep, and soon dozed off herself.

Rin woke up feeling warm and comfortable, as she blinked her eyes open.

She saw another fire going.

_Eh? Who woke Ah-Un?_ Rin thought, looking toward the dragon's sleeping place.

Ah-Un was still sound asleep in his place.

Rin sat up, and looked around.

Sesshoumaru was awake and staring at the fire.

Had he been the one to build it?

Rin looked over at Jaken.

He was asleep, and twitching in his dreams.

Now would probably be the only chance she would get today...

"Sesshoumaru-sama." Rin said.

He continued to stare at the fire. She knew she had enough of his attention, though.

"Come walk with me." Rin said.

The daiyoukai looked at her.

Rin got up, and started outside, hoping he realized what 'walk with me' meant.

As she approached the forest line, she looked back, and saw Sesshoumaru following her.

She led him deep into the trees, shivering slightly with the cold, stopping only once she reached the place where she would pick wild flowers in the spring, and summer.

This was her sanctuary. No one came here without an invitation from Rin.

She turned to face Sesshoumaru, shaking uncontrollably.

Rin had never been so nervous in her life. Every part of her body wanted to make her look like she was upset, when, really, she wasn't.

Sesshoumaru stopped in front of her, waiting for her to let him know what this was about.

Rin looked all around, trying to get her words straight.

Finally, her eyes met his, and stuck.

She would not be able to look away again.

Rin took a breath, putting on a small smile, though tears were working their way into her eyes to run down her face.

"Sesshoumaru-sama... I understand... what you were saying last night..." Rin said.

She paused for a moment to breathe heavily, trying to keep herself steady.

"H-However... " Rin said. "Y-You don't need to bring anything... t-to be welcomed into... m-my house. You, alone, are a gift to me, Sesshoumaru-sama... j-just to see you once in a while... I treasure that like nothing else I've ever gotten."

She could see slight surprise in his eyes... with relief filling in behind it.

He was happy to know how much she appreciated him.

Rin let out another heavy sigh... it was just about time...

"S-Sesshoumaru-sama..." Rin said, her voice so close to breaking. "N-Not just now... b-but, ever since we met... no one's ever come close to you... and... a-ah... A-Aishiteru."

Rin's throat ached beyond belief, as an involuntary sob forced its way out of her chest.

Her head fell, as she tried to hide her tears from Sesshoumaru.

She knew he probably wouldn't return her feelings. But, just knowing he cared about her a little bit was enough. Rin would be alright, no matter what.

She brought her hands up to her face, and started trying to dry her tears so that she could face her lord once more.

Rin lifted her head slightly, almost ready to look at him again.

All of a sudden, she felt pressure on her back.

That pressure increased gently, and slowly pushed her into Sesshoumaru, who did not move as she was pressed against him.

Rin's mind all but shut down in that moment. She was about ready to faint. But, she was going to wait until her curiosity was settled.

"Rin, why are you crying?" Sesshoumaru asked. "Are you hurting, somehow?"

With a bit of searching, Rin found her mouth, and then her arms, which she wrapped around Sesshoumaru with a grip to meld the two together.

"S-Sort of..." Rin said. "Y-You must think me to be so strange... t-to feel so wonderful for you, and yet, I-I cry in pain... B-But, that's how strongly I feel. I love you so much, it hurts!"

Rin held even tighter to Sesshoumaru, not wanting to ever let him go.

Strangely, she found herself being pressed a bit tighter to him, as well.

_Sesshoumaru-sama... he's holding me..._ Rin thought. _This is... really nice... at least he respects how tender this moment is..._

A new pressure rested on Rin's shoulder.

She turned slightly, and spotted two red stripes, on a familiarly pale cheek.

"Yet again, Rin... you've taught me a new emotion." Sesshoumaru whispered faintly, as he only did for her. "I've been wondering what to call it... the pain of losing you, twice before... the joy of seeing you smile every time you look at me... now that you express your feelings aloud, I know... I return them in full..."

Rin's heart stopped, breath hitched, and eyes went wide.

She'd imagined this day, many times, many different ways... all paled in comparison to this moment. Rin could not ask for more.

"Rin, you're shivering." Sesshoumaru said.

Rin noticed her vision getting a little blurry. The shock of the moment was just too much to bear any longer.

"N-No, I'm... fainting..." Rin said, as she blacked out in his arms.

Rin awoke inside her house, covered in a few of her kimonos, and watching fire light dance on the ceiling.

"Rin. You're awake now." came a voice.

Slowly, Rin turned to look at the doorway, where Sesshoumaru and Jaken were standing, looking at her.

"S-Sesshoumaru-sama..." Rin said.

She sat up. "W-What's... Oh." Rin said. "You're going again?"

Sesshoumaru's head lowered ever-so slightly, and Rin recognized that as his version of a nod.

"I see..." Rin said. "Well, then... I'll be waiting for you, my lord. So, please come back to me."

Jaken scoffed, and turned away from her.

Sesshoumaru stared at her for a moment, with the same look he got when he was thinking really hard about something.

Slowly, fluidly, he glided across the house to kneel before her, leveling their eyes.

Rin was not entirely sure what was going on, as Sesshoumaru brushed some loose strands of her hair back out of her face.

She scanned his eyes wildly, looking for some sign of his next move.

It wasn't until she looked at his whole face that she saw what he was thinking.

Rin turned red across the nose for a moment.

But, as the moment drug on, shyness and uncertainty melted away into slight impatience.

It occurred to Rin, in that moment, that he probably wasn't sure how to go about it.

A tiny smile touched her face, as she brought her hands up to cup his face.

Sesshoumaru allowed her full control as she leaned in, and pressed her lips to his.

This gesture... it was very human... yet, it rocked him with a force he'd never known...

In the sharing of this gesture, Sesshoumaru could feel his deepest weaknesses, and greatest strength coming together... and letting him know that he was truly alive.

Rin couldn't possibly have been happier. Sesshoumaru loved her, and was expressing it to her in a way she'd only dreamed about before.

Everyone always said he was incapable of feeling anything but anger or hatred towards anyone. She knew they were wrong from the day she met him... but, to be here, right now, experiencing his love and how deeply it ran... it was overwhelming. She knew he was strong in every sense... she never expected to experience it first-hand, though.

All too soon, Sesshoumaru gently pulled away, breaking the kiss.

Though she was a bit disappointed, she knew he still had his pride as a daiyoukai to uphold. He couldn't be caught kissing a human woman. Not yet, at least.

Rin smiled at him, her face lightly flushed with the love and happiness he'd brought her.

"Be careful, Sesshoumaru-sama." Rin said, gently stroking his face. "And come back soon."

Sesshoumaru reached up, and lightly touched her hands.

The look in his eyes told her that he would be looking forward to returning to her.

That was all she needed.

Slowly, Sesshoumaru stood up out of Rin's reach, and ghosted over to the door.

"Jaken." Sesshoumaru said.

The imp was absolutely frozen in shock at what his master'd just done.

"We're leaving, now." Sesshoumaru said.

As he glided out the door, Jaken suddenly sprung to life, and went waddling as fast as he could after Sesshoumaru.

Rin got up, and went to the door to watch them leave.

"SESSHOUMARU-SAMA! A WORD WITH YOU! PLEASE?" Jaken squawked long and loud.

He jumped onto Sesshoumaru's fur as he took to the skies.

Rin put one arm around herself, and raised the other one in the air, waving good-bye as her beloved Sesshoumaru-sama gradually made his way out of sight.

Rin sighed, feeling a little lonely, now, but, happy that she'd gotten to tell him how she really felt, and learn that he felt the same.

_Sesshoumaru-sama... I'll always love you... just as I will always wait for you... always..._

_Kosode - A kind of kimono._

_Iku yo - Let's go._

_Youkai - Monster / Demon._

_Kitsune - Fox._

_Tadaima - I'm back._

_Kaeri - To return (also an informal 'Welcome Home')._

_Arigatou - Thank you._

_Sou ka - Is that so?_

_Haori - A kind of coat._

_Hai - Yes._

_Ne - Hey (a call for attention)._

_Gomen nasai - I'm sorry._

_Itadakimasu - Receiving (it's good table manners to say this before a meal)._

_Daiyoukai - Demon Lord (roughly)._

_Jaki - Demonic aura._

_Doushita no - What's the matter?_

_Ashiteru - I love you._

_My word, this took so long to write. But, this'll be the last story I put up for quite some time. I'm entering the NaNoWriMo this year, and I won't have time to write anything else. Just so that you know. Please review!_


End file.
